Smyrna times., 1887-08-17
WHERE CELERTS KING.
ElALAMAzoo's THRIFTY HOLLAND
ERS RECLAIM A BIG MARSH.


ERS RECLAIM A BIG MARSH.
Three Thousand Acres Of Useless Swamp
Transformed Into the Finest Celery
Beds I'm AmerICa-FOrtunes Made at
the Business.
1t is in and around the fair and far
famed city of Kalamazoo that the celery
lord, with all his innate pride and Odor of
garlic, may best be found. Here his coat
OF arms, consisting of a bunch of celery
penchant on silver dollar guardant, NAV
De seen emblazOned on his armOrial hear
lngs and also on the faces of the shoD-
Keepers. Here it is that over 1900 acres
of reclaimed land is devoted to the cnl-
tivation of the crisp and tOothsome stalk
that is gifted with nerve STRENGTHENING
properties. 1t is saying that in Kala-
mazoo they swear by celery and at everv-
thing else. The latter proposition NAV he
trltle harsh, but the former is self evil
dent TO any visitor In spite of the fact
that Kalamazoo leads the country in light
vehicles, wind mills, harrOws and many
Ovher branches of manufacture, she still
pins her faith and hope and trust to the
celery lands and the celery lords.
LOW MARSHY LANDS.
The 5000 acres of celery lands were
once next of kin to huge marsh. The
city Is built on a slight rise of ground in
the midst of an extensive valley. Be
tween the original site of the town and
the foothills were once these low, marsbv
lands. The HOLanders, who were raisino
upland celery here, were among the first
TO discover that these lowlands could be
drained and made the best celery lands in
inc country. successful experiments re- |
suuOeu III a revolution. The marshes, for |
merly Of little if any value. Immediately |
an excellent price in the real |
estate market. A large tract of land nj
most in the heart of the city, which had |
been left in its primitive condition. was at
once seized upon and divided bv far see
ing Hollanders into small tracts, each one
Df which afforded an excellent living for
Dne OF the good sized families for which
hat nation is famous.
After all the lands south and west of
ne city had been devoted to celery culture
ne Doom shifted to the north, and through
he pioneer efforts of the late DIR. T-ri9b
pJohn another half mile of thicklv SET
leu celery territory was added unto the
lty. To ''reclaim" these lands only ra-
Luired the excavation Of trenches LEADING
o the neighbOring creeks. Then. with n
,anking up of the sides, and, perhaDs. n
title filling in, the lands were converted
lto some Of the richest soil which lies ont
Il doors There are no reliable celery
lSures, but enough is known to warrant
ne AaIamazulu for claiming for his CITY
ne celery championship of the world.
ne markets of New York, Chicago. st.
'aul, Cincinnati, New Orleans, and ali ]
trge cues are supplied from Kalamazoo.
ne delicious stalks even find their way
san Francisco, Texas, Florida and New J
hgIand, arriving in excellent condition \
Lter their long journey.
CAREFULLY PACKED. '
Inc celery is carefully packed in boxes
oldlng from eight to fifty dozen. and is
hpped by express and refrigerator cars Z
urlng the buster season over n dozen ev- q
a wagons are put on by the express com
lnles to transfer the product to the ont
'lng trains and the streets seem To Wit h
.ss the continuous passage Of an attractive
lery procession. Time was when the
ason lasted but from September to IAN
Lry' Dut now the demand is incessant B
a. the capability of the Hollapder no. y
rdlnSly elastic, and the shippers are idle o
ny during the months Of April and Nav
us year the first celery came into mar .
June 3, or nearly three weeks ahead
the average year. The first shipments
re made June 1S, and it goes withont
slng that Chicago was the Objective
mt The old impression that celery
" went with oysters is now obsolete
Is eaten the year round wherever il can
OBTAINED. The method of bIeacbino
cry now IN vogue does not need n frost
Il June celeryis just as crisp and tender
Is september The product at Kalama-
VIII closely approximate 500 600
zen per annum, which, at twentv-five lit
ITS, brings in $375,0OO The business
done by the buyers. altbou0b
ny raisers ship their own product
Jelery raising has added its thousands
The population Of the city. Not n waeiy
8 by without witnessing the arrival of
ty or fifty HOllanders, who plod stoicoIIy,
ough the streets in their wooden shoes !
soon become absorbed in celery roislnc,
form part Of the great common
attn. In the eyes of the residents Of
CITY these people are nation bv them Ev
res, resembling nothing in the heaven
We or earth beneath They arc called
'ierys, simply that and nothing mora
y make good citizens, however and
I'VE porn inhabitants are reasonable
ud OF them. They have done one
ig' at any rate-they have demon
yea uhat the wilderness may be made
'lossoln as the rose, and that a homelv
hlalaIla infected marsh NAV ha
Verted INTO rich soil, in which NAV
alseu the toothsOme and crisp celery
aIeged great nerve fOOd.-Eupene a :
Wne III Chicago Herald A